Shoe-tree.



P. A. BOWEN.

SHOE TREE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1913.

1,1 1 9,744. Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Witnesses.

Inventor.

3 Philip A. Bowen, M 35 2 W MW llhllTE TATE @ldltlE PHILIP A. BOWEN, OELYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T LILLIAN A. LITTLE, 0F LYNN,MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-TREE.

Specification of Letters totem.

Patented Dec. it. rain.

Application filed August It, 1913. serial No. 784,724.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP A. Bowen, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an improvement in Shoe-Trees, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing,is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing likeparts.

This invention relates to shoe trees and it has for its object toprovide a simple shoe tree which can be inexpensively manufactured andwhich is constructed so that it can be used equally well in shoes ofdifferent sizes.

I will first describe a selected embodirnent-oi my invention whichdiscloses the principle thereof and will then point out the novelfeattn'es of the invention in the appended claims.

Figure l is a longitudinal section through a shoe tree embodying myinvention showing the tree inserted in a shoe, the shoe being shown indotted lines; Fig.2 is a bottom plan view of the toe portion oi the shoetree with a part thereof broken out; Fig. 3 is a section on the line M,Fig. 2.

ln order to make a shoe tree which can be used equally well in a largevariety of sizes I anal-re the shoe tree with a toe portion it ofresilient sheet material such for instmce, as stiid leather orleather-board which will yield more or less but willtend to retainnaturally its original sha e. This toe portion 1 is preferably made ot ashape to conform to the inside of the shoe upper and it presents a topand two sides but no bottom. Coiiperating with the toe ortion is aresilient spreading member whic tends normally to force the sides of thetoe portion outwardly but which member will yield inwardly to permit thedevice to be ins-e w into a narrow shoe. This resilient spreading memberis herein shown as a spring device presenting two arms 2 which extendlongitudinally of the sides oil the toe portion and bear against theinner faces therwi, said arms being made of resilient spring wire. Inorder to cause the toe portion to fit tightly against the shoe upper llalso associate therewith a spring member 3 which is adapted to engagethe sole of the shoe and which yieldingly holds the toe member 1 againstthe inner face 01? the top of the shoe upper. The yielding qualities ofthe spring 3 and the spreading member 2 as well as theyielding-qualities of the toe portion 1 provide a device which can beinserted into shoes of various widths and sizes and which will yield orchange its shape to fit the contour of the shoes of various shapes andsizes.

In the embodiment herein illustrated the toe portion 1 is secured to ahead 4 provided with two cars 5 between which is pivoted at 7 a tubularstein 6. This stem is provided with an extension 8 which telesco es intothe stem and which is provided at its outer end with a foot portion 9adapted to rest against the heel of the shoe. This foot portion 9 ispreferably pivoted to the extension 8 at 10 so that it may be swung intodifierent angular positions and it is provided with a handle 11 by whichthe device may be manipulated. Situated within the tubular stem 6 isaspring 12 which bears at one end against the pivotal pin 7 and at theother end against the extension 8.

The tubular stem 6 is provided with an interior collar it which canconveniently be made by spinning the metal of thetubular member inwardlywhich collar forms a stop to limit the expansive movement of theextension 8. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, I willpreferably secure the spreading member and the spring 3 to the head 4although this is not essential.

In the construction herein illustrated, the sprin 3 is made from alength of spring wire ent to form the triangular shaped portion 15 whichrests against the sole of the shoe, and havin its ends 16 underlying andsecured to the ead l by any suitable means as by means'oi solder. Theends. it are provided with the coils or turns ll which allow the s ring3 to have a move: ment toward and troni the head but which at the sametime afiord a yielding resistance to the movement of the spring towardthe head. it also have shown the spreading member as supported by thespring member 3 and this is done by passing the arms 2 of the sreadingmember through the coils 17 of to spring member; and in order to makethe spreading member resiliout, it preferably form the wire from whichit is made into the coil 18 between the coils 17. This coil 18 co-actswith the coils It? to hold the spreading member in its proper position.

till

Bill) ltl The extensibility of the stem 6 promotes for using the shoetree in shoes of rlifi'erent lengths anrl the construction of the toeportion "with its spreading member and spring 3 provide for using theshoe tree in shoes of oliilerent "Widths. 'lhe toe member will conformto the shepe o'l eny shoe in which. it is inserted anti Will holcl theshoe smooth end tree from Wrinkles. Moreover the oleviee is rery simpleencl inexpensive to menutincture anal does not require any ecljustmentof the parts to moire it shoes of different sizes.

l have herein shown the sicles on the toe portion es forniecl withinwardly-directed lips 19 at their lower eclges. llhese lips 19 serve toholrl the arms 2 of the spreeiling rnernher in their proper positionanti prerent them from slipping ClOWl] helow the edges of the toe memberwhen the tree is in use.

The spring 3 operates to force the toe Member i upwardly against the topout the shoe npper enel it here therefore, referred to this spring as annpWeflly-pressing spring. The spreading member 2 tenrls normally toforce the sides of the toe member outwardly and l hove thereforereterrecl to the spreading member es nv letersllli' pressing spring. I

il hile here illnstreteel in the drnwings e seleetecl einloorlirnent ofmy invention, l rlo not Wish to he limit-eel to the eonstrnetionelfeatures shown.

listing fully described my invention eleirn new snot rlesire to secureby Lettent is:

shoe tree, the eornhinetion With n te or lexible ing the inner sides ofsaid toe portion at or near the lower edges thereof to hold ssiri siclesyieldingly against the sicles of the shoe upper anol s separateupwnrdlypressing spring secured to the toe portion and adaptecl toengage the sole of the shoe and yieldiingly hold the top of the toeportion egninst the shoe upper.

2. ln a shoe tree, the combination with a. toe portion of flexible sheetmaterial and presenting a top and two sides, of on up weirdly-pressingspring carried by the toe portion and adopted to engage the sole of ashoe thereby to yieldingly force the top of the toe portion against theshoe upper ancl a separate laterally-pressing spring helcl in place bythe npwsrrlly pressing spring enel engaging the sieles of the toeportion sntl forcing; them yieldingly egeinst the sicles of the shoeupper.

3. ln s shoe tree, the eonihinetion with n toe portion of flexible sheetinsterinl ancl presenting it top and two sicles of on up-Wnrrlly-pressing spring); esrriecl by the toe portion and eolnpteil toengage the sole oi. n shoe thereby to yielolinngly the top of the toeportion against the shoe upper and lziterelly -pressing" s ring eerrieelhy the upwardly-pressing spring snel gauging" the sides of the toeportion and yielolinglyagainst the sieles oi upper.

ln testimony whereof, ll here signed some to this speeiiiention, in thepresenee of two subscribing witnesses.

the shoe reing thorn

